Texas · National Park trail

Window Trail Stop #13

in Texas

As you travel this next section of trail, notice how the vegetation has become more dense and different species of trees and shrubs have appeared. The creek bed that parallels the trail will hold water beneath the surface long after it has disappeared from the surface. One of the main plants along the creek bed is the Mexican Buckeye.

Bees love this beautiful shrub, no doubt attracted by the aroma of the pink flowers which bloom in the spring. The seed pods are an easily identifiable feature of this plant, being large, brown, and three-lobed. The seeds contained in the seed pods are shiny, black, and poisonous, if eaten.

This shrub is not a true buckeye but is in the soapberry family.

States: Texas
Trail type: National Park trail
Centroid coords: 29.2793°, -103.3284°

About Big Bend National Park

National Park

This trail is inside Big Bend National Park, a national park managed by the U.S. National Park Service. Conditions, road status, trail closures, and reservation requirements are published on the park's NPS page — check it before driving in, especially in winter or during major weather events.

Entrance fee: $30 per vehicle (verify current rate on the park page). An America the Beautiful annual pass ($80) covers entrance to all NPS units.

Official NPS trail page: https://www.nps.gov/places/window-trail-stop-13.htm

Park homepage: https://www.nps.gov/bibe/index.htm

Plan your hike

Practical notes

Maps + permits: long-distance trails like this often require permits for through-hiking, backcountry camping, or specific sections (especially in National Parks). Check with the maintaining organisation listed above and the relevant land manager before booking travel.

Water + supplies: water sources vary seasonally on most U.S. trails. Carry a filter and consult current trail-condition reports — through-hiker journals (PCT-L, AT Reddit, etc.) and the maintaining organisation publish regular updates.

When to go: hiking seasons vary widely with elevation, latitude, and snowpack. Through-hikers traditionally start the AT in March-April (Springer northbound) and the PCT in late April (Campo northbound). High-elevation western trails (CDT, JMT, Wonderland) generally aren't passable until July.

If you've hiked Window Trail Stop #13 and have current notes (water sources, trail closures, permit changes), tell us at /contact — we update pages as we learn.